On May 11, 1850, Stephen Willis, administrator of Francis R. Vincent, deeded James Arthur the lot on Miry Branch on the north side of Big Swift Creek in Craven County. The March 1850 county court had ordered the lot sold to pay Vincent’s debts, subject to the dower of his widow, Mary Ann Vincent, and Arthur bid one hundred dollars at the sale on the premises. The lot began at a stake on the run of Miry Branch, ran to a stake on the road side, and came back down the branch. No acreage or neighbors are given.
The witnesses were Jesse Arthur and Jane [?] Arthur. There is no court or registration note on this paper. The writer’s own words are kept as written below.
Deed from Stephen Willis, administrator of Francis R. Vincent, to James Arthur, a lot on Miry Branch on the north side of Big Swift Creek, sold at public sale – Craven County, 1850
Transcription notes: spelling, capitalization and punctuation follow the original. Words in [square brackets] are editorial notes; [?] marks an uncertain reading and [illegible] marks words that could not be read.
This Indenture made and executed
this the Eleventh day of May — A.D.
one thousand eight hundred and
fifty between Stephen Willis Admin=
istrator of Francis. R. Vincent of the
County of Craven and State of North
Carolina on the one part. and James
Arthur of the County and State
aforesaid on the other part witnesseth
that whereas, at the March term A.D.
one thousand eight hundred and
fifty of the Court of Pleas and Quarter
Sessions of Said County a petition
was filed by said Administrator
for a sale of the peace or parcel of
land herein after described, subject
to the Dower of Mary Ann Vincent
thereon (all of which will more
fully appear by reference to the records
of Craven County Court) to pay the
debts of Said deceased — And it appe=
aring to the Satisfaction of the said
Court that a sale of the land herein
after described, subject to the Dower
as aforesaid was necessary for that
purpose; it was ordered adjudged
and decreed by said Court that
the said Administrator sell the
said land herein after described
subject to the Dower as aforesaid
(first advertising the same for the
space of forty days) at public Vendue
on the premises to the highest bidder
upon a credit of six months, taking
from the purchaser a note with good
security for the purchase money, before
the title is given; And whereas the said
Administrator in pursuance of said
decree did on the Eleventh day of May
— A.D. one thousand eight hundred
and fifty expose to public sale on
the premises the land herein after
described subject to the Dower as aforesaid,
when James Arthur became the
last and highest bidder at the price
of one hundred dollars and the
said James, Arthur having com=
plied with the Conditions of said
sale by giving bond and security
for the purchase money — Now
therefore Know Ye that for and
in consideration of the purchase
money so secured as aforesaid. and
by virtue of said decree, I the said
Stephen Willis Administrator as aforesa=
id have granted bargained and
sold and by these presents do hereby
grant bargain and sell to the said
James, Arthur his heirs and assigns
the following peace or parcel of
land. subject to the Dower as aforesaid
situate, lying and being on the
North side of Big Swift Creek in
the County and State aforesaid
and bounded as follows to wit
Beginning at a Stake on the run
of Miry Branch and runs South
eighty four West eleven poles to a Stake,
then North forty five West twenty poles to
a Stake, then South fifty four West
eleven poles to a Stake on the road side,
then up the same North twenty six West
four poles to a Stake, then North forty
five East twenty one poles to a poplar
tree on the run of said Branch,
then down the same to the first Station
To have and to hold the
said land subject to the Dower of
Mary Ann Vincent as aforesaid
with all the previleges and appurten=
ances thereunto belonging or in
any wise appertaining to him the
said James Arthur his heirs and
assigns in fee simple forever
In testimony whereof I the
said Stephen. Willis Administrator
as aforesaid do hereunto set my
hand and seal this the day
and year first above written
Signed sealed and
delivered in presence of }
Jesse Arthur
Jane [?] Arthur
Stephen Willis (Seal)
[Outside:]
Stephen Willis
Administrator of
Francis R Vincent
To
James Arthur
About the original
The deed is written on one folded sheet. The outside carries only the docket; there is no probate, court note or registration on the paper.
In the course “North twenty six West four poles,” the words twenty and four look as if they were written over or corrected. The given name of the second witness is hard to read and is given as Jane with a question mark.
This is the administrator’s deed for the same lot William H. Schenck sold to Francis R. Vincent in 1846; the courses match that deed and the 1851 deed from James G. Arthur to James Roach (both in this folder). It fills the gap between them: at the March 1850 Craven County court, Vincent’s administrator Stephen Willis was ordered to sell the lot to pay Vincent’s debts, subject to the dower of his widow Mary Ann Vincent, and James Arthur bought it at the sale on the premises for one hundred dollars. The buyer is called James Arthur here and James G. Arthur in the 1851 deed. Nine months later he sold the lot to James Roach for two hundred and fifty dollars.
No neighbors are named in this deed; the 1851 deed names Henderson [?] Hill and John Jackson.
Source: Deed, Stephen Willis, administrator, to James Arthur, 11 May 1850. Roach Family Papers (#346), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, Box 1, Folder c (Land Records, 1728–1886). Collection guide. Digitized folder: ECU Digital Collections, 0346-b1-fc.
Images courtesy of East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University. View this item in ECU Digital Collections.
Part of the Roach Family Papers collection on East Carolina Roots.
